At least four soldiers were killed and 11 people wounded Friday (December 27th) in an explosion at a teashop in Mogadishu, police and witnesses said.

A roadside bomb went off outside the teashop where soldiers and civilians were relaxing, Somali senior police officer Mohamed Duale told AFP, blaming the attack on al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab militants.

"Four soldiers were killed and eleven others including civilians were injured," Duale said. "Some of the wounded are in a serious condition and have been taken to hospital."

"It looks like al-Shabaab but we are still investigating," he added.

The number of casualties could not be independently verified, and some eyewitnesses and local news agencies reported at least 11 dead.

The explosion in the Bangalo neighbourhood of Mogadishu's Daynile district killed the owner of the teashop, her husband, son and government army commander Salad Qolley, Somalia's Hiiraan Online reported.

Daynile District Commissioner Hirey Muhiyadin Omar said investigations were under way, and he urged residents to work with government forces to prevent criminals from causing insecurity in the district.

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